Pie Crust

Animal shortenings that typically produce a flaky pie crust are not allowed in the kosher diet. This is one of the best pie crusts I've ever come across. Even if you never sift flour for other recipes, it's worth sifting and following this recipe exactly.

I've adapted the recipe from Irma S. Rombauer and Marion R. Becker, Joy of Cooking, Bobbs-Merrill, 1964.

Ingredients:

Sift the flour and then sift again with the salt. Take 1/3 of the flour/salt mixture and mix it with the water to form a paste. Cut the shortening into the remaining flour with a pastry blender, two cold knives, or food processor. When the mixture resembles coarse granola, stir in the flour paste. Work quickly and gently to mix until the paste is incorporated and the dough forms a ball. Working by hand with a pastry blender or two cold knives works quite well, but if you prefer to use a food processor, be sure that you do not over-process the dough. Stop processing the second that the dough forms a ball on the blade. Wrap the dough tightly. Chill for at least 1/2 hour or overnight. If you are not going to use the dough for more than a day, you can freeze it. Be sure that it is very well wrapped for the freezer. When you want to use it, defrost in the refrigerator for a day, or at room temperature for about 2 hours. Discard the wrapping as soon as it is defrosted so that the flavors of the freezer are not absorbed by the dough.

This makes enough dough for a double-crust 9-inch pie.

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